Device with a scraper and a removal head

ABSTRACT

A device or tool for removing snow and other debris from vehicles, and other surfaces including a handle having a first end and a second end opposite the first end, a scraper portion coupled to the first end, and a head coupled to the second end. The head may be a laterally extended foam head that is non-abrasive, freeze resistant, and durable. The handle may include a telescopic extension to allow a reach of a user to be increased or decreased allowing the user to clear away snow and other debris from various sizes of vehicles.

FIELD

The present disclosure relates to devices for removing snow and otherdebris from vehicles, structures, and other areas.

BACKGROUND

In general, during the winter months certain geographic areas experiencecolder temperatures and snowfall. During and after periods of snowfall,vehicles and other areas may be coated or covered with varying amountsof snow and ice. The efficiency and usefulness of current devices toremove such snow and ice are limited based on the amount of snowfall andthe size of the vehicle.

SUMMARY

An extendable device or tool for removing snow and other debris fromvehicles, and other articles and structures is disclosed herein. Ingeneral, the extendable device includes a telescopic extension having afirst end and a second end opposite the first end, a scraper portioncoupled to the first end, and a head, for example, a foam head, coupledto the second end. The head may be coupled to the second end of thetelescopic extension by a first plate that is disposed in a first recesson a first side of the head. The first plate may include a threadedconnection adapted to couple to a corresponding threaded connection onthe second end of the telescopic extension.

A second plate may be disposed in a second recess on a second side ofthe head and be adapted to couple to the first plate. At least one prongmay protrude from the first plate and be adapted to receive and extendaround at least a portion of an exterior surface of the telescopicextension to couple the telescopic extension to the head when the deviceis not in use.

The telescopic extension may further include a first elongated portionand a second elongated portion adapted to be received within the firstelongated portion. The second elongated portion may include a threadedmale locking portion on an end that is received in the first elongatedportion. A threaded female locking portion adapted to mate with thethreaded male locking portion may be disposed in the first elongatedportion. A retaining cap may be coupled to an end of the first elongatedportion and adapted to retain the threaded female locking portion in thefirst elongated portion.

The threaded male locking portion may have a decreasing cross-sectionalarea from a first end to a second end. Similarly, the threaded femalelocking portion may have a decreasing cross-sectional area from a firstend to a second end. The threaded female locking portion may include atleast one slot extending from the first end towards the second end alongat least a portion of the threaded female locking portion, and at leastone engagement protrusion on an exterior surface of the threaded femalelocking portion and adapted to engage an inner surface of the firstelongated portion.

The threaded male locking portion and the threaded female lockingportion allow the telescopic extension to be locked in place at adesired length. When the threaded male locking portion and the threadedfemale locking portion are not engaged with one another, the secondelongated portion may be moved to extend further out of or receivedfurther into the first elongated portion. When the desired length isachieved, the threaded male locking portion may be threaded into thethreaded female locking portion causing the at least one engagementprotrusion on the first end of the threaded female locking portion toexert a force against the inner surface of the first elongated portionand lock the telescopic extension at a desired length. Connections maybe provided to attach the extension to the head portion so that thedevice may be stored when not in use.

This allows the extendable device to be adjusted for use by varioususers and to be used with various vehicles. By extending or retractingthe extendable device, the reach of the user can be increased ordecreased allowing the user to clear away debris and snow from varioussizes of vehicles. Driving with snow on top of a vehicle can behazardous and in some instances may even be unlawful. The extendabledevice allows the user to reach not only a hood of the vehicle but alsoa top of the vehicle that may be difficult to reach with a conventionalbrush. Additionally, placement of the scraper portion on the oppositeend of the removal head allows users to remove different kinds of debris(for example, ice versus snow) from a vehicle with a single device.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

An embodiment of an extendable device is illustrated in the figures ofthe accompanying drawings which are meant to be exemplary and notlimiting, in which like references are intended to refer to like orcorresponding parts, and in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates a first-side elevation view of an embodiment of anextendable scraper and removal head;

FIG. 2 illustrates a second-side elevation view of the extendablescraper and removal head;

FIG. 3 illustrates a third-side elevation view of the extendable scraperand removal head;

FIG. 4 illustrates a fourth-side elevation view of the extendablescraper and removal head;

FIG. 5 illustrates an elevation view of the extendable scraper andremoval head illustrating a first side of the removal head;

FIG. 6 illustrates an elevation view of the extendable scraper andremoval head illustrating a second side of the removal head;

FIG. 7 illustrates a perspective view of the extendable scraper andremoval head illustrating the first side of the removal head;

FIG. 8 illustrates a perspective view of the extendable scraper andremoval head illustrating the second side of the removal head;

FIG. 9 illustrates an exploded view of the removal head;

FIG. 10 illustrates a perspective view of an extension of the extendablescraper and removal head coupled to prongs of the removal head; and

FIG. 11 illustrates an exploded view of the extension of the extendablescraper and removal head.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Detailed embodiments of extendable devices for removing snow and otherdebris from vehicles, and other articles and structures are disclosedherein, however, it is to be understood that the disclosed embodimentsare merely exemplary of the device, which may be embodied in variousforms. Therefore, specific functional details disclosed herein are notto be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a basis for the claims andas a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art tovariously employ the present disclosure.

An extendable device 100 for removing snow, ice, and other debris fromvehicles, and other articles and structures according to an illustrativeembodiment is described with reference to FIGS. 1-4. As illustrated, theextendable device 100 includes an extension 102 having a first end 104and a second end 106 opposite the first end 104. A scraper portion 108is coupled to the extension 102 at the first end 104, and a removal head110 is adapted to couple to the extension 102 at the second end 106.

The extension 102 may be telescoping and include a locking feature toallow a length of the extension 102 to be adjusted and locked intoplace. As illustrated, the extension 102 may include one or moreelongated portions, for example, a first elongated portion 112 and asecond elongated portion 114, telescopically coupled together. The firstelongated portion 112 may be adapted to receive the second elongatedportion 114, and the second elongated portion 114 may be adapted totelescopically extend out of and retract into the first elongatedportion 112. In this illustrative embodiment, the first elongatedportion 112 is hollow, which allows the second elongated portion 114 tobe received or slid into an end of the first elongated portion 112. Inother illustrative embodiments, the second elongated portion 114 may beadapted to receive the first elongated portion 112. In one embodiment,the extension 102 may be a non-extending handle.

In an illustrative embodiment, the scraper portion 108 has a first side116, a second side 202, a first end 118, and a second end 120. The firstside 116 may have a convex shape and the second side 202 may have acorresponding concave shape causing the scraper portion 108 to be curvedfor engagement of first end 118 of the scraper portion 108 with asurface, for example, a window of a vehicle. The scraper portion 108 mayalso include one or more protrusions 122 projecting from the first side116 of the scraper portion 108 proximate the first end 118. The one ormore protrusions 122 may be useful in breaking, weakening, or scoringsnow and ice. The second end 120 of the scraper portion 108 may becoupled to the first end 104 of the extension 102, for example, usingone or more fasteners, adhesives, a male/female threaded engagement,and/or other coupling means of the type. Placement of the scraperportion 108 at the opposite end of the extension 102 from the removalhead 110 allows a user to remove different materials (for example, iceversus snow) from a vehicle using the device 100.

Referring to FIGS. 5-8, in an illustrative embodiment, the removal head110 includes a first plate 502, a body portion or head 504, and a secondplate 602. The removal head 110 is structured to enable pushing orpulling of debris, such as snow, leaves, etc. to remove the debris froma vehicle or structure. The removal head 110 is extended laterally toallow a larger amount of debris to be removed in a single push or pullby a user. The body portion 504 may be a foam head including a firstrecess 702 adapted to receive the first plate 502 on a first side 506 ofthe body portion 504. Foam, or other compressible material, may be usedon the removal head 110 to avoid scratching, or otherwise damaging asurface on which the debris is located. In addition to beingnon-abrasive, the material may preferably be freeze resistant anddurable. The body portion 504 may include a second recess 802 adapted toreceive the second plate 602 on a second side 604 of the body portion504. The first plate 502 and the second plate 602 may be disposed in thefirst recess 702 and the second recess 802, respectively, and adapted tocouple together and secure the body portion 504 between the first plate502 and the second plate 602. The first recess 702 and/or the secondrecess 802 may reduce or prevent the first plate 502 and/or the secondplate 602 from contacting, scratching, or otherwise damaging a surface,for example, a surface of a vehicle, when using the extendable device100 to remove snow or other debris from the vehicle.

The shapes of the first plate 502 and the second plate 602 generallyinclude substantially oval central portions 508, 608, respectively, andsubstantially rectangular portions 510, 610, respectively, extendingfrom the substantially oval central portions 508, 608, respectively. Asillustrated, the substantially oval central portions 508, 608 have across-section larger than a cross-section of the substantiallyrectangular portions 510,610, respectively. The substantially ovalcentral portions 508, 608 provide support for the body portion 504 andrestrict the bending motion of the body portion 504 when the extendabledevice 100 is being used. This allows the device 100 to remove heavyamounts of snow and other debris from vehicles, and other articles andstructures.

Referring to FIG. 9, the first plate 502 and the second plate 602 may becoupled together by, for example, one or more fasteners, adhesives,mating protrusions and apertures, and other coupling means of the type.As illustrated, the first plate 502 includes one or more connectionapertures 902, and the second plate 602 includes one or morecorresponding protrusions 904 that mate with the one or more connectionapertures 902. The body portion 504 may also include one or morecorresponding apertures 906 adapted to receive the one or moreprotrusions 904. The one or more protrusions 904 may include a headportion 908 adapted to be received in a connection aperture 902, and astem portion 910. The one or more protrusions 904 may extend through theone or more apertures 906 in the body portion 504 and the one or moreconnection apertures 902 in the first plate 502, and couple the firstplate 502 and the second plate 602 together. In other illustrativeembodiments, the second plate 602 may include one or more connectionapertures and the first plate 502 may include one or more correspondingprotrusions.

As illustrated in FIG. 9, the removal head 110 includes a threadedfemale connection 912, for example, in the first plate 502, and thesecond end 106 of the extension 102 includes a threaded male connection1002 (illustrated in FIG. 10) adapted to engage or mate with thethreaded female connection 912 of the removal head 110. In oneembodiment, the removal head 110 may include a corresponding aperture914 in the body portion 504 adapted to receive an exterior of thethreaded female connection 912, and the second plate 602 may include acorresponding protrusion 916 adapted to align with the threaded femaleconnection 912 for support. In other illustrative embodiments, thesecond end 106 of the extension 102 may include a threaded femaleconnection and the removal head 110 may include a corresponding threadedmale connection. The threaded connections allow the removal head 110 tobe disconnected, detached, or removed from the extension 102.

Referring to FIGS. 9 and 10, in an illustrative embodiment, the removalhead 110 may include one or more connections 918 adapted to couple theremoval head 110 to the extension 102 along the length of the extension102 when the extendable device 100 is not in use, for example, duringstorage of the extendable device 100. As illustrated in FIG. 9, the oneor more connections 918 may be resiliently deflectable prongs protrudingfrom the first plate 502 of the removal head 110. Other connectingstructures may be used as well. The one or more connections 918 may alsoinclude one or more protrusions or aligning portions 920 protruding fromthe first plate 502 opposite the one or more connections 918. The one ormore protrusions or aligning portions 920 may be received in one or morecorresponding apertures 922 in the body portion 504 of the removal head110. The resiliently deflectable prongs are shaped to receive and extendaround at least a portion of an exterior surface of the extension 102and couple the removal head 110 to the extension 102, or vice versa.

The extension may also include a locking feature adapted to lock theextension in place at a desired length. As illustrated in FIG. 11, thesecond elongated portion 114 may be retracted into or extended from thefirst elongated portion 112 to adjust the length of the extension 102.The length of the extension may be locked in place by twisting/rotatingthe first elongated portion 112 and/or the second elongated portion 114around an axis extending along the length of the extension 102.

In an illustrative embodiment, the extension 102 includes a threadedfemale locking portion 1102 having a first end 1104 and a second end1106. As illustrated, the first end 1104 has a first cross-sectionalarea and the second end 1106 has a second cross-sectional area less thanthe first cross-sectional area of the first end 1104. Thecross-sectional area of the threaded female locking portion 1102 maydecrease along a length of the threaded female locking portion 1102 fromthe first end 1104 to the second end 1106. The threaded female lockingportion 1102 may include one or more slits or slots 1108 extending alonga portion of the length of the threaded female locking portion 1102 fromthe first end 1104. The threaded female locking portion 1102 may alsoinclude one or more engagement protrusions 1110 around an exteriorsurface of the threaded female locking portion 1102 and extending atleast a portion of the length of the threaded female locking portion1102 from the first end 1104 to the second end 1106.

The second elongated portion 114, or the first elongated portion 112 ifthe first elongated portion 112 is received within the second elongatedportion 114, includes a threaded male locking portion 1112 on an end1114 that is received within the first elongated portion 112. Thethreaded male locking portion 1112 includes a first threaded end 1116and a second threaded end 1118. The first threaded end 1116 has a firstcross-sectional area and the second threaded end 1118 has a secondcross-sectional area less than the first cross-sectional area of thefirst threaded end 1116. Similar to the threaded female locking portion1102, the cross-sectional area of the threaded male locking portion 1112may decrease along a length of the threaded male locking portion 1112from the first threaded end 1116 to the second threaded end 1118.

The threaded female locking portion 1102 is received within the firstelongated portion 112, or the second elongated portion 114 if the firstelongated portion 112 is received within the second elongated portion114. A retaining cap 1120 may be coupled to the first elongated portion112 at an end 1122 that receives the second elongated portion 114 toprevent the threaded female locking portion 1102 from falling out of orbeing removed from the first elongated portion 112. The second elongatedportion 114 may be inserted into the first elongated 112, through theretaining cap 1120, and the threaded male locking portion 1112 matedwith the threaded female locking portion 1102.

The one or more slits or slots 1108 of the threaded female lockingportion 1102 allow the cross-section of the first end 1104 of thethreaded female locking portion 1102 to expand and move the one or moreengagement protrusions 1110 of the threaded female locking portion 1102into engagement with an interior surface 1124 of the first elongatedportion 112. As the threaded male locking portion 1112 is mated with,for example, by rotating the first elongated portion 112 and/or thesecond elongated portion 114, the threaded female locking portion 1102,the increasing cross-sectional area of the threaded male locking portion1112 from the second threaded end 1118 to the first threaded end 1116causes the first end 1104 of the threaded female locking portion 1102 toexpand. This expansion causes the one or more engagement protrusions1110 of the threaded female locking portion 1102 to exert a forceagainst an interior surface 1124 of the first elongated portion 112,thereby locking the extension 102 at a desired length.

The length of the extension 102 can be adjusted by decreasing the amountof engagement or mating of the threaded male locking portion 1112 withthe threaded female locking portion 1102 causing the first end 1104 ofthe threaded female locking portion 1102 to retract. This retractioncauses the one or more engagement protrusions 1110 of the threadedfemale locking portion 1102 to reduce the force exerted against theinterior surface 1124 of the first elongated portion 112, therebyallowing the length of the extension 102 to be adjusted.

In an illustrative embodiment, the length of the extension 102 may beabout twenty five (25) inches to about thirty five (35) inches when theextension 102 is fully retracted and about forty five (45) inches toabout fifty five (55) inches when the extension 102 is fully extended.Although the length of the extension 102 is described as a range, itshould be appreciated that the extension 102 can be modified to have anydesired length when retracted and extended.

In an illustrative embodiment, one or more of the scraper portion 108,the extension 102, and the first and second plates 502 and 602,respectively, of the removal head 110 may be made, formed, or molded outof one or more polymers or plastics, for example, high impactpolystyrene and other high impact plastics. In other embodiments, one ormore of the extension 102 and the first and second plates 502 and 602,respectively, of the removal head 110 may be metal, wood, and/or othermaterial of the type.

In an illustrative embodiment, the body portion or head 504 of theremoval head 110 may be made, formed, or molded out of a flexible anddurable polymer, for example, polyethylene foam. The polyethylene foamcan provide a non-abrasive, freeze resistant, and durable body portionor head 504 that can be used to remove snow and other debris, forexample, leaves, dirt, sticks, and branches, from vehicles and othersurfaces.

In an illustrative embodiment, the removal head 110 and the extension102 may be connected via an articulation joint, for example, a balljoint, to allow the removal head 110 to be rotated and position atvarying angles with respect to the extension 102. Further, thearticulation joint may include a lock adapted to secure the position ofthe removal head 110 in a desired orientation.

Although the extension 102 is illustrated as having a circularcross-section, it should be appreciated that the extension 102 may havea cross-section of various other geometric shapes, for example, oval,square, and other geometric shapes. Similarly, although the body portionor head 504 of the removal head 110 is illustrated as rectangular, itshould be appreciated that the body portion or head 504 may be variousother geometric shapes, for example, oval, circular, square, and othergeometric shapes.

Although the removal head 110 is described and illustrated as includingthe first plate 502 and the second plate 602 that are coupled together,the first plate 502 and the second plate 602 may be monolithicallyformed or molded as a single piece. Further, it should be appreciatedthat other locking mechanisms may be used to lock the extension 102 at adesired length instead of the locking feature described herein.

Although the device has been described and illustrated in connectionwith certain embodiments, many variations and modifications will beevident to those skilled in the art and may be made without departingfrom the spirit and scope of the disclosure. The disclosure is thus notto be limited to the precise details of methodology or construction setforth herein as such variations and modification are intended to beincluded within the scope of the disclosure. Moreover, unlessspecifically stated any use of the terms first, second, etc. do notdenote any order or importance, but rather the terms first, second, etc.are merely used to distinguish one element from another.

What is claimed is:
 1. An extendable tool, comprising: a telescopicextension having a first end and a second end opposite the first end,the telescopic extension including a first elongated portion, and asecond elongated portion adapted to be received within the firstelongated portion and including a threaded male locking portion; athreaded female locking portion having a decreasing cross-sectional areafrom a first end to a second disposed in the first elongated portion andadapted to mate with the threaded male locking portion, the threadedfemale locking portion including at least one engagement protrusion onan exterior surface of the threaded female locking portion and adaptedto engage an inner surface of the first elongated portion; a scraperportion coupled to the first end; and a laterally extended head coupledto the second end.
 2. The extendable tool according to claim 1, furthercomprising a first plate disposed in a first recess on a first side ofthe laterally extended head, the first plate having a threadedconnection adapted to couple the laterally extended head to the secondend.
 3. The extendable tool according to claim 2, further comprising asecond plate disposed in a second recess on a second side of thelaterally extended head, the second plate adapted to couple to the firstplate.
 4. The extendable tool according to claim 2, further comprisingat least one connection device adapted to connect the first plate to anexterior surface of the telescopic extension.
 5. The extendable toolaccording to claim 4, in which the at least one connection devicecomprises at least one prong protruding from the first plate and adaptedto receive and extend around at least a portion of the exterior surfaceof the telescopic extension.
 6. The extendable tool according to claim1, further comprising a retaining cap coupled to an end of the firstelongated portion and adapted to retain the threaded female lockingportion in the first elongated portion.
 7. The extendable tool accordingto claim 1, in which the threaded male locking portion has a decreasingcross-sectional area from a first end to a second end.
 8. The extendabletool according to claim 1, in which the threaded female locking portionincludes at least one slot extending from the first end towards thesecond end along at least a portion of the threaded female lockingportion.
 9. The extendable tool according to claim 1, in which thelaterally extended head comprises a compressible material.
 10. Theextendable tool according to claim 9, in which the compressible materialis foam.
 11. A tool, comprising: a handle having a first end and asecond end opposite the first end, the handle including a firstelongated portion, and a second elongated portion adapted to be receivedwithin the first elongated portion and including a threaded male lockingportion; a threaded female locking portion having a decreasingcross-sectional area from a first end to a second disposed in the firstelongated portion and adapted to mate with the threaded male lockingportion, the threaded female locking portion including at least one slotextending from the first end towards the second end along at least aportion of the threaded female locking portion; a scraper portioncoupled to the first end; and a laterally extended head coupled to thesecond end.
 12. The tool according to claim 11, further comprising afirst plate disposed in a first recess on a first side of the laterallyextended head, the first plate having a threaded connection adapted tocouple the laterally extended head to the second end.
 13. The toolaccording to claim 12, further comprising at least one prong protrudingfrom the first plate and adapted to receive and extend around at least aportion of an exterior surface of the handle.
 14. The tool according toclaim 12, further comprising, a second plate disposed in a second recesson a second side of the laterally extended head, the second plateadapted to couple to the first plate.
 15. The tool according to claim11, in which the laterally extended head comprises a compressiblematerial.